Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve - The Swift Creek Trail

The Swift Creek Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: .8 miles

Location: Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve 

                2616 Kildaire Farm Rd. Cary, NC
Take I-40 to exit 293A onto 64W/1S Take exit 98A onto Tryon Road. Take a right onto Kildaire Farm road and the preserve will be on the right about a mile and a half down.

After visiting the nature center, we got on to the good stuff. A short hike. The preserve has about 3 miles of very well maintained trails. We hiked the Swift Creek Trail. Not sure how this creek got it's name, perhaps another section moves swiftly. What we saw was barely moving at all.

The trail is awesome. So well maintained! There are boardwalks over low-lying areas, stairs up and down steep parts of the trail and everything else is covered in gravel or mulch, so the surface stays really nice. No roots to worry about, no erosion troughs, just smooth, well-kept trail. Perfect for even the smallest and newest of hikers. Another feature of this trail was a series of several wooden platforms built out over the bluffs and overlooking the creek. The trail map shows where all of these features are on each trail, so you can choose accordingly.

The trail was really neat; it supports a unique blend of wildlife that you don't often find this far east in NC. It was like walking through a portal back to the mountains (except for the slow creek, mountain stream move much more swiftly.) The only caution I have is that just about every sign had a warning about copperhead activity. Copperheads are the only venomous snake in the preserve and according to the signs have been very active lately. Copperheads are also fairly aggressive snakes. As in, if you see one, back away, don't try to step over it, or go around it. Turn around and leave, if you get close enough to bite, they will feel threatened and try to defend themselves. That said, with all of the signage, I was kind of disappointed we didn't see any. Not that I want one blocking my path, but I would've liked to see one from afar. Although then I have to worry about Tot trying to pick it up, so maybe it's a good thing we didn't see any. We did, however see a young deer run across the trail and into the woods, which was a huge hit.

Great hike for kids, just keep your eyes open this time of year and be smart.  We'll go back.